What is Shouliao?
Shouliao (肘髎) is an acupoint on the Large Intestine meridian in traditional Chinese medicine, located on the pathway called the ‘Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian (手陽明大腸經).’ In Shouliao (肘髎), ‘肘’ refers to the elbow and ‘髎’ means a crevice or opening. It is one of the important acupoints in the elbow region and is highly effective at improving symptoms related to arm pain.
How to Find the Exact Location
Step 1: Relax your arm and let it hang naturally at your side, then feel the outer side of your elbow with your fingers. Step 2: Find the crease that appears when you bend your arm (the Quchi point), then move approximately 1 cun (about the width of your thumb, roughly 1-1.5 cm) upward along the direction of your arm from that point. Step 3: Find the hollow depression below the lateral epicondyle of the humerus (the outer upper part of the arm bone). Step 4: When you press that location with your finger, you’ll feel a slight sensation of tenderness—that’s the Shouliao point.
Acupressure Method
Step 1 – Preparation: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position and let your arm hang naturally. Step 2 – Locate the point: Find the exact position of Shouliao using the method described above. Step 3 – Begin acupressure: Apply gentle pressure to the Shouliao location using your thumb or middle finger. Step 4 – Adjust intensity: Maintain a level of stimulation that is ‘tender but pleasant,’ avoiding sudden or harsh pressure. Step 5 – Maintain pressure: Hold the pressure for 3-5 seconds, then slowly release. Step 6 – Repeat: Repeat this process 5-10 times, with a total session time of about 2-3 minutes.
Main Benefits
- Relief of elbow pain: Quickly reduces inflammation and pain in the elbow joint, effectively improving symptoms of elbow tendinitis and lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow).
- Complete arm pain relief: Alleviates overall pain from the upper to lower arm, and quickly recovers arm fatigue after exercise.
- Improvement of arm numbness: Relieves numbness, tingling, and finger numbness caused by nerve compression, and normalizes nerve function.
- Promotes blood circulation: Activates the circulation of blood and qi (氣) in the arm area, supporting tissue regeneration and accelerating recovery.
- Upper limb fatigue recovery: Quickly improves fatigue, soreness, and heaviness after prolonged arm use.
When to Apply Acupressure
Acupressure at Shouliao is effective not only when your arm hurts but also for preventive purposes. Best times: Most effective in the evening to relieve the day’s fatigue, and also good in the morning to ease arm stiffness. By situation: Applying acupressure immediately is very helpful when your arm is fatigued from computer or smartphone use, after exercise or lifting heavy objects, or when elbow pain appears. Frequency: 2-3 times daily when experiencing symptoms, and about 2-3 times per week for preventive purposes.
Precautions
Situations to avoid: Avoid acupressure if you have wounds, inflammation, boils, or severe swelling on your skin. After acute elbow fractures or dislocations, apply acupressure only after consulting with a healthcare professional. Avoid excessive pressure: Be careful not to apply excessive pressure, as it may damage subcutaneous tissue and irritate nerves, potentially worsening symptoms. During pregnancy: During pregnancy, it’s best to apply acupressure gently under professional guidance or avoid it altogether. Medical consultation: If symptoms are severe or persist for more than two weeks, visit a traditional Chinese medicine clinic or hospital for accurate diagnosis.
Leave a Reply